Zombies with Strings

Huddled at the school. You would never expect to be here. Never in you life time, not at midnight, but it's the only safe place anymore. I'm not even sure what's going on, or if it still is going on. The world seems empty out there, there's no place safe but in here.

Where else are we supposed to go? What will happen when the food runs out? The food has run out. I'm starving, so is everyone else. I haven't eaten anything for two days. Sweat beads on my forehead. I don't feel well. I've been in this hot classroom, it used to be my science class. There's no one with me, that is way too dangerous, but there are other people in the building. It's a big school, the 8th Grade Center.

I haven't seen a person since, well I can't remember. A long time. And I don't mind that.

People here are absolutely crazy. I can't risk going outside this classroom.

Except now.

I'm so thirsty. I need some water. There's a water fountain out there, and I know where. If I can just make a dart to the left and down the hall into the Great Hall, it's right there. But it's a long way. I have to do it, I need water.

I open the door a crack and look out. Everything looks clear, but a bad smell lingers in the humid, hot air. I creep out of the classroom and walk along the wall to the left. Once I know that no one's around, I make a run for it.

It takes a minute to get to the Great Hall, but I get there and see the water fountain. Not caring if anyone sees me, I thirstily grab the water fountain. I press the button for the water to come out.

Nothing comes out.

I drown out any noise, too upset and on the verge of tears. Out of nowhere, a hand covers my mouth. It was a large, warm, but skinny hand. "Shh," someone whispered in my ear. I tried to break loose, but they held me firm. They spun me around to face them an I almost started crying.

It was Braxton. I never really talked to him in school. He was sort of popular, and I wasn't, so I didn't think he would ever want to. He was extremely good looking, but now he looks messy and skinny. He hugged me tightly. I knew why he was hugging me. Not because we were friends in the past, but because it's a familiar face.

"I can't believe it! I haven't seen you in forever! Have you been in here the whole time? Why haven't I seen you?" I smiled at his excitement. It made me feel special. I used to have a small crush on him before Z-Day came. "Yes, I was here with you when they locked the school down. We were practicing in the orchestra room remember? Then we all scattered and I went to a different room." He just laughed and grabbed me hand.

We ran back up the hall I came from. I thought that we would stop in the middle of the hall, where the science classroom was, but he all the way down the hall. He stopped in front of the orchestra room door and knocked about 25 times in a certain pattern. The door slightly opened and a boy saw him, and let him in. "Hey everybbody, guess who I found?" Braxton announced to the room. It had about 7 people in the room, all of them sitting in a circle on the floor.

I knew all of them were from my orchestra class, they were all there before the lock down practicing with Braxton and me. They all scooted over for Braxton and me and we sat down. I was never really good friends with these people, but they all treated me like we were best friends. Suddenly, someone sat next to me. It was Logan, the boy I hated woth everything I have. He flirted with every girl he saw, and treated me like trash.

Everytime I said something to him that was even slightly rude, he would get all sad. "But, Ashton, I though we were friends!" He was always so annoying. I looked up at him, because he was so tall.

I just stared at him, and he just stared into space. When he finally looked down at me, he just gave me a small smile, not saying anything.

Logan's been a jerk since the 6th grade. He moved here from some other district then, and he rode my bus. The first mistake way back then was that I sat next to him. Why? Because the bus was full! He always tells me that it's because he was just "too hot to ignore." But that was way back then, when his head was too big for his body and he was way shorter than I was.

He would always talk about random stuff that I don't care about. And he was just plain annoying. He wouldn't get any other friends and thought that everyone loved him. Now this year, everyone loves him, except me. I hate him like nothing else.

But there's one thing that clears my memory of everything he's done. He has this one way of making me like him, and forget all the hate I have for him. It's when he plays the cello.

It has always been one of my favorite instruments, but only if the cellist can play. The last day I saw him, when we were all practicing, he was doing a beautiful solo with the piano. I almost cried. He looked so perfect, the way his head was completely submerged in the music. The way his finger danced across the fingerboard. The sound coming out of the cello was amazing. His face was completely serious as he swayed along with the music. His eyes were closed (He was practicing for a competition so he had to memorize the music). His muscles flexed as he reached for a note, hitting it perfectly. I couldn't help but love him at that moment.

The song he played that I fell in love with wsas Brian Crain's Song for Sienna - Piano and Cello Duet. (AUTHOR'S NOTE: I actually have a friend who plays cello and played this yesterday and I fell in love with it and he played it AMAZINGLY! He's going to state with it I am sooo proud!! I will put the song up overrr therreee --------->)

But of course, he wasn't playing it now. I hate him now. He knows that very well.